Few people really love the cold. Often, many just become accustomed to it as a result of being born into the cold, and through that acclimation, begin to appreciate it and the little things that come along with it:

Breaking out the winter coats.

The enjoyment of warm foods and drinks.

The holidays.

However, the cold isn’t good for everybody, which is why humans don’t live in Antarctica. In fact, life in the cold for those living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be particularly difficult, given the inherently burdened state of those living with chronic lung disease. All of the symptoms that serve to comprise chronic lung disease—frequent coughing, reduced mobility, fatigue and shortness of breath—are greatly worsened in the presence of extreme cold.

So, what can you do?

Aside from a few treatment options to address the root causes of the disease, in terms of defending against the cold, there are some practical tips to follow to keep your health intact.

With your health in mind, the Lung Institute offers this information to help you Prepare for COPD and COLD Weather.

Dress in Layers

Although we’ve mentioned this before, with the harsher colds of the fall and winter season, it should come as no surprise that dressing in layers is a necessity. Not only will added layers such as undergarments, long johns, sweaters, coats, hats—and perhaps most importantly, cold weather masks—help with blood circulation, it also allows you to breathe better.

As your body becomes colder, your circulation begins to slow down, drawing blood (and therefore heat) from your lower extremities as your body attempts to bring blood back to the areas that need it most (your heart and center of mass). Keeping your body warm aids in this circulation, allowing your body to maintain its proper temperature, and ultimately helping you breathe better.

For example, you may add various soups to your diet (such as black bean soup—a great source of protein). You can also add steamed vegetables and red sauce pastas to your typical dinner menu. This will help cut back on your meat consumption—which is always a good thing—while still giving you warmer, nutritious meals during the winter.

As for liquids. Drop the alcohol consumption if you can. Alcohol has the nasty effect of constricting the blood vessels which can make you feel warmer, but it’s only condensing your blood to your center, leaving your extremities (toes and fingers to fend for themselves.)

Keep Your Home Warm (space heaters, run your fan)

After coming back inside the house from the cold, it’s important your home is warm. However, there are a few things to consider to stay warm as well as safe. For starters, if possible, do not burn wood at a stove or inside the home. Not only can this be a dangerous practice, but the smoke it creates can further exacerbate symptoms of COPD. In general, when living with chronic lung disease, smoke of any kind should be avoided.

So, how do I keep my home heated?

If you don’t have a furnace that you can use to control the temperature, use an electric space heater, just don’t leave it next to anything flammable. This is a much safer alternative than using a wood-burning stove or fireplace.

However, perhaps most dangerous to the body in the presence of cold weather, is the effect this climate has on the heart. As temperatures begin to drop to extreme lows (below zero Fahrenheit), the blood vessels of the heart begin to narrow, ultimately restricting blood flow and depriving the heart of precious oxygen. As the narrowing of the blood vessels causes them to shrink, your heart has to pump blood harder leading to an increase in blood pressure as well.

Aside from the direct effects of cold weather on the body, the wind that often accompanies cold weather can serve as a force of physical resistance, making you work harder to move and thus making breathing more difficult.

Moving Forward with the Next Steps

When in doubt, do your best to avoid the cold as much as possible, prolonged time outside in extreme cold weather can have damaging effects to your respiratory system. However, when lifestyle changes fail to improve your quality of life, it may be time to consider cellular therapy. Rather than addressing the symptoms of lung disease, cellular therapy may directly affect disease progression and may improve quality of life.

For more information on cellular therapy and what it could mean for your life moving forward, contact us today or call us at 888-745-6697. Our patient coordinators will walk you through our available treatment options, talk through your current health and medical history and determine a qualifying treatment plan that works best for you.

* Every patient is given a Patient Satisfaction Survey shortly after treatment. Responses to the 11-question survey are aggregated to determine patient satisfaction with the delivery of treatment.

^ Quality of Life Survey data measured the patient’s self-assessed quality of life and measurable quality of improvement at three months of COPD patients.

All claims made regarding the efficacy of Lung Institute's treatments as they pertain to pulmonary conditions are based solely on anecdotal support collected by Lung Institute. Individual conditions, treatment and outcomes may vary and are not necessarily indicative of future results. Testimonial participation is voluntary. Lung Institute does not pay for or script patient testimonials.

As required by Texas state law, the Lung Institute Dallas Clinic has received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from MaGil IRB, now Chesapeake IRB, which is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Program (AAHRPP), for research protocols and procedures. The Lung Institute has implemented these IRB approved standards at all of its clinics nationwide. Approval indicates that we follow rigorous standards for ethics, quality, and protections for human research.

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The Lung Institute takes patient privacy seriously. The law requires that our healthcare facilities and medical personnel protect the privacy of your medical record and other health information We are also required to notify you of our privacy practices with regard to your Protected Health Information. This Privacy & Security Notice explains how your medical information is protected under HIPAA and HITECH laws and how your information may be used, disclosed, and accessed.

Internet Privacy Disclosure

The Information We Collect: The Lung Institute collects information by various methods including information actively provided by its lead providers, customers and information arising from customer surveys and general feedback. The types of personal information we collect include name, contact information, identification information, credit information and other data types as appropriate. Credit card information is used for billing purposes only.

We may record calls to or from our patient coordinators/customer service representatives for purposes of accuracy, performance reviews, training and general quality assurance.

How We Use This Information: This information is used to aid in the provision of our various products and services, including customer service, accounting, billing, collections and the marketing of other products and services. The Lung Institute may use aggregate or anonymous information for various uses for itself and third parties.

Who We Share This Information With: The Lung Institute does not share personal information with any third parties except as disclosed in this policy. The Lung Institute may provide personal information to the Lung Institute's subcontractors and professional advisers (which shall be bound by privacy obligations) to assist the Lung Institute's uses disclosed herein.
Security Personal information is stored in a combination of paper and electronic files. They are protected by security measures appropriate to the nature of the information.

Accessing Information: Individuals may review their personal information contained in the Lung Institute's files by contacting the Lung Institute's privacy officer. If an individual believes that any of their personal information is inaccurate, we will make appropriate corrections.

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General:The Lung Institute may amend this policy from time to time. If such amendments affect how the Lung Institute uses or discloses personal information already held by the Lung Institute in a material way, the Lung Institute will obtain consent.

Notwithstanding the general terms of this policy, the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information may be made outside of the terms herein to the extent provided for in any applicable privacy or other legislation in effect from time to time.
The Lung Institute may disclose personal information to another entity purchasing (including for diligence purposes prior to purchase) the assets of the Lung Institute, provided that entity abide